transmission

American  

[trans-mish-uhn, tranz-] / trænsˈmɪʃ ən, trænz- /

noun

transmissions plural

1. the act or process of transmitting.

   Synonyms:

   conveyance, passing, passage, transfer

2. the fact of being transmitted.

   Synonyms:

   conveyance, passing, passage, transfer

3. something that is transmitted.

4. Machinery.

   1. transference of force between machines or mechanisms, often with changes of torque and speed.

   2. a compact, enclosed unit of gears or the like for this purpose, as in an automobile.

5. Radio and Television. the broadcasting of electromagnetic waves from one location to another, as from a transmitter to a receiver.

6. Physics. transmittance.

---

transmission British  

/ trænzˈmɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of transmitting

2. something that is transmitted

3. the extent to which a body or medium transmits light, sound, or some other form of energy

4. the transference of motive force or power

5. a system of shafts, gears, torque converters, etc, that transmits power, esp the arrangement of such parts that transmits the power of the engine to the driving wheels of a motor vehicle

6. the act or process of sending a message, picture, or other information from one location to one or more other locations by means of radio waves, electrical signals, light signals, etc

7. a radio or television broadcast

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nontransmission
  noun
• pretransmission
  noun
• retransmission
  noun
• transmissibility
  noun
• transmissiveness
  noun
• transmissible
  adjective
• transmissive
  adjective
• untransmissive
  adjective
• transmissively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• transmissions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of transmission

1605–15; < Latin trānsmissiōn- (stem of trānsmissiō ) a sending across, equivalent to trānsmiss ( us ) (past participle of trānsmittere to send across) + -iōn- -ion. See trans-, mission

Explanation

Transmission is the act of transferring something from one spot to another, like a radio or TV broadcast, or a disease going from one person to another. The noun transmission comes from the Latin word transmissio, which means “sending over or across, passage.” The transmission of a message is the delivery of the message. Transmission can also be a communication sent out by radio or television, while the transmission of a disease is the passing of that virus or bacteria between people. A vehicle’s transmission is the part of the engine that uses the energy created by the burning fuel to make the axle turn.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

transmission transmissions

It even offers the now-rare manual transmission option.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

"We were very excited to see that GHP-88310 given by mouth completely prevented airborne transmission in our ferret model of measles," said first author Carolin Lieber, a senior postdoctoral fellow in the Plemper lab.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026

A transmission date for the series has not yet been announced.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

With the 36-inch water transmission line undergoing repairs, West Hollywood is currently being served by an 8-inch distribution pipe.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026

Everyone else is already in the atrium, clustered around Asher as he brings up the morning transmission for us.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu

Along with paying the fines, the GEO Group agreed to draft plans for avoiding aerosol transmissions at 12 secure and reentry facilities in California, including five detention centers that hold immigrants.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

The combination would integrate Dana’s powertrain, thermal and sealing technologies with Eaton Mobility’s commercial-vehicle transmissions, engine and emissions products, and advanced electrification capabilities, forming a company with approximately $11 billion in sales.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026

This means energy from wireless transmissions or other ambient sources could potentially be transformed into usable electricity without relying on conventional diodes or other bulky electronic components.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 4, 2026

MasTec is now a leading North American infrastructure and construction company, with 50% of its business from oil and natural-gas pipelines and 30% from high-voltage electric power transmissions, with just 25% from telecoms.

From MarketWatch ● May 13, 2026

They were signed by the radioman’s assistant, a Seaman Philip Milholland—he’d transcribed the radio transmissions.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson

Related Words

• broadcast
• communication
• delivery
• gearbox